Over 200 Jews and Christians Celebrate an Interfaith-Easter, Enjoying Pancakes and Matza Brei

Interfaith Families Project of Greater Washington celebrates first Interfaith Easter Service for Jewish and Christian partners raising Interfaith children

PRLog - April 4, 2010 - TAKOMA PARK, Md. -- SILVER SPRING, Maryland (April 4, 2010) - For the first time in its 15 year history, the largest group in the United States, the Interfaith Families Project of Greater Washington (IFFP), composed of Christian and Jewish intermarried parents and their interfaith children conducted an Easter Sunday service.

"Easter is the most challenging holiday for Jewish-Christian couples and their families," said Jennifer Liebreich, Board Chair of the Interfaith Families Project. "By adding an Easter Sunday service to our regular Sunday gatherings, we seek to advance our goal of celebrating, exploring, and enjoying both religious traditions equally, while avoiding the need to apologize or feel guilty for the sermon of the day," said Liebreich, a Christian married to a Jew and mother of two.

Liebreich said that "the group isn't trying to create a new religion that is a mixture of Christian and Jewish belief. Instead, we believe it is possible - and desirable - to honor our distinct religious traditions and to share those traditions with spouses, partners and children."

Rabbi Harold White, Jewish Spiritual Leader of the community and the Jewish Chaplain of Georgetown University participated in the Easter service and provided a reflection on a Jewish view of the resurrection. "Resurrection is a concept familiar to Jews in the time of Jesus and I believe that Jews can gain meaning from the Easter celebration and insight into its importance to their Christian family members," said White.

"Even among Christians, there are very different views of the meaning of Easter," said Rev. Julia Jarvis, Spiritual Director of the Interfaith Families Project. "We held a service that was recognizable to our Christian members and, at the same time meaningful to their Jewish partners and interfaith children," said Jarvis.

The service took place on Sunday, April 4th at 10 a.m. at Albert Einstein High School, 11135 Newport Mill Road, Kensington, Maryland. The service was followed by a traditional Easter Egg Hunt and a not-so-traditional pancake and matza brei breakfast. For additional information, please contact the Interfaith Families Project calling Susan Ryder at (301) 270-6337 or e-mail iffp@verizon.net, or visit www.iffp.net.

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The Interfaith Families Project of Greater Washington (IFFP) is an independent community of interfaith families and others committed to sharing, learning about, and celebrating our Jewish and Christian traditions. It is the only interfaith organization of its kind in the country.

Now in our second decade, we have grown to over 110 families from Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. It’s a place where both Jewish and Christian partners can feel like equal members of the community; where both can celebrate and learn about both faiths and where we “teach not preach.”

IFFP seeks to develop our children, ourselves, and our community in an environment that encourages questions and respects different answers. IFFP provides opportunities for education about Christianity and Judaism, holiday celebrations, fellowship, spiritual gatherings, community service, and exploration of interfaith identity.